Editing Vatican City (section)

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of Vatican City}}

[[File:Vatican City map EN.svg|thumb|upright=2.25|A map of Vatican City, highlighting notable buildings and the Vatican gardens]]

The territory of Vatican City is part of the Vatican Hill, and of the adjacent former Vatican Fields. It is in this territory that [[St. Peter's Basilica|St Peter's Basilica]], the [[Apostolic Palace]], the [[Sistine Chapel]], and museums were built, along with other buildings. The area was part of the Roman ''[[rione]]'' of [[borgo (rione of Rome)|Borgo]] until 1929. Being separated from Rome, on the west bank of the river Tiber, the area was an outcrop of Rome that was protected by being included within the walls of [[Pope Leo IV|Leo IV]] (847–855), and later expanded by the current fortification walls, built under [[Pope Paul III|Paul III]] (1534–1549), [[Pope Pius IV|Pius IV]] (1559–1565), and [[Pope Urban VIII|Urban VIII]] (1623–1644).<ref>{{Citation |title=Holy See (Vatican City) |date=28 December 2022 |work=The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/holy-see-vatican-city/ |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126204237/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/holy-see-vatican-city/ |archive-date=26 January 2022 |url-status=live |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:VaticanCity Annex.jpg|thumb|The territory of Vatican City State according to the [[Lateran Treaty]]]]

When the [[Lateran Treaty]] of 1929 that gave the state its form was being prepared, the boundaries of the proposed territory were influenced by the fact that much of it was all but enclosed by this loop. For some tracts of the frontier, there was no wall, but the line of certain buildings supplied part of the boundary, and for a small part of the frontier a modern wall was constructed.<ref>Lateran Treaty of 1929, Article 3</ref>

The territory includes [[St. Peter's Square|St Peter's Square]], distinguished from the territory of [[Italy]] only by a white line along the limit of the square, where it touches Piazza Pio{{nbs}}XII. St. Peter's Square is reached through the [[Via della Conciliazione]] which runs from close to the Tiber to St Peter's. This grand approach was constructed by [[Benito Mussolini]] after the conclusion of the Lateran Treaty. St Peter's Square is also partially encircled by the [[Ricciolo d'Italia]], a small strip of Italian territory.<ref name="inftub">{{Cite web |title=La città del Vaticano |trans-title=The Vatican City |url=https://www.inftub.com/geografia/La-citt-del-Vaticano92583.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710042234/https://www.inftub.com/geografia/La-citt-del-Vaticano92583.php |archive-date=July 10, 2023 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=www.inftub.com}}</ref>

According to the Lateran Treaty, certain [[properties of the Holy See]] that are located in Italian territory, most notably the [[Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo]] and the [[major basilica]]s, enjoy extraterritorial status similar to that of foreign [[diplomatic mission|embassies]].<ref name=Statute/><ref name="treaty text" /> These properties, scattered all over Rome and Italy, house essential offices and institutions necessary to the character and mission of the Holy See.<ref name="treaty text">Lateran Treaty of 1929, Articles 13–16</ref>

Castel Gandolfo and the named basilicas are patrolled internally by [[Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City|police agents of Vatican City State]] and not by [[Law enforcement in Italy|Italian police]]. According to the Lateran Treaty, St. Peter's Square, up to but not including the steps leading to the basilica, is normally patrolled by the Italian police.<ref name=Statute/>

There are no passport controls for visitors entering Vatican City from the surrounding Italian territory. There is free public access to Saint Peter's Square and Basilica and, on the occasion of papal general audiences, to the hall in which they are held. For these audiences and for major ceremonies in Saint Peter's Basilica and Square, tickets free of charge must be obtained beforehand. The [[Vatican Museums]], incorporating the Sistine Chapel, usually charge an entrance fee. There is no general public access to the gardens. Guided tours for small groups can be arranged to the gardens and excavations under [[Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls|the basilica]]. Other Vatican locations are only open to individuals who have business to transact there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Useful Information |url=https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en/info.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121054203/https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en/info.html |archive-date=21 November 2019 |access-date=4 January 2023 |website=The Holy See}}</ref>

{{Panorama
| image = Pano-P7264747-P7264763 (3189867).jpg
| height = 230
| alt = St. Peter's Square, the basilica and obelisk, from Piazza Pio XII
| caption = {{center|St. Peter's Square, the basilica and obelisk, from Piazza Pio XII}}
}}

=== Climate ===
Vatican City's climate is the same as Rome's: a [[Temperate climate|temperate]], [[Mediterranean climate]] ''[[Hot-summer Mediterranean climate|Csa]]''. It has mild, rainy winters from October to mid-May, and hot, dry summers from May to September. Some minor local features, principally mists and dews, are caused by the anomalous bulk of St Peter's Basilica, the elevation, the fountains, and the size of the large paved square. The highest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|40.8|C|F|abbr=on}} on 28 June 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vatican City 2022 Past Weather (Vatican City) – Weather Spark |url=https://weatherspark.com/h/y/71896/2022/Historical-Weather-during-2022-in-Vatican-City |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211132538/https://weatherspark.com/h/y/71896/2022/Historical-Weather-during-2022-in-Vatican-City |archive-date=11 December 2023 |access-date=18 December 2023}}</ref>
{{Weather box
| location = Vatican City ''(data of Aeroporto Roma-Ciampino "Giovan Battista Pastine")''
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| Jan record high C = 19.8
| Feb record high C = 21.2
| Mar record high C = 26.6
| Apr record high C = 27.2
| May record high C = 33.0
| Jun record high C = 37.8
| Jul record high C = 40.8
| Aug record high C = 40.7
| Sep record high C = 38.4
| Oct record high C = 30.0
| Nov record high C = 25.0
| Dec record high C = 20.2
| Jan high C = 11.9
| Feb high C = 13.0
| Mar high C = 15.2
| Apr high C = 17.7
| May high C = 22.8
| Jun high C = 26.9
| Jul high C = 30.3
| Aug high C = 30.6
| Sep high C = 26.5
| Oct high C = 21.4
| Nov high C = 15.9
| Dec high C = 12.6
| year high C = 20.4
| Jan mean C = 7.5
| Feb mean C = 8.2
| Mar mean C = 10.2
| Apr mean C = 12.6
| May mean C = 17.2
| Jun mean C = 21.1
| Jul mean C = 24.1
| Aug mean C = 24.5
| Sep mean C = 20.8
| Oct mean C = 16.4
| Nov mean C = 11.4
| Dec mean C = 8.4
| year mean C = 15.2
| Jan low C = 3.1
| Feb low C = 3.5
| Mar low C = 5.2
| Apr low C = 7.5
| May low C = 11.6
| Jun low C = 15.3
| Jul low C = 18.0
| Aug low C = 18.3
| Sep low C = 15.2
| Oct low C = 11.3
| Nov low C = 6.9
| Dec low C = 4.2
| year low C = 10.0
| Jan record low C = -11.0
| Feb record low C = -4.4
| Mar record low C = -5.6
| Apr record low C = 0.0
| May record low C = 3.8
| Jun record low C = 7.8
| Jul record low C = 10.6
| Aug record low C = 10.0
| Sep record low C = 5.6
| Oct record low C = 0.8
| Nov record low C = -5.2
| Dec record low C = -4.8
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 67
| Feb precipitation mm = 73
| Mar precipitation mm = 58
| Apr precipitation mm = 81
| May precipitation mm = 53
| Jun precipitation mm = 34
| Jul precipitation mm = 19
| Aug precipitation mm = 37
| Sep precipitation mm = 73
| Oct precipitation mm = 113
| Nov precipitation mm = 115
| Dec precipitation mm = 81
| year precipitation mm = 804
| Jan precipitation days = 7.0
| Feb precipitation days = 7.6
| Mar precipitation days = 7.6
| Apr precipitation days = 9.2
| May precipitation days = 6.2
| Jun precipitation days = 4.3
| Jul precipitation days = 2.1
| Aug precipitation days = 3.3
| Sep precipitation days = 6.2
| Oct precipitation days = 8.2
| Nov precipitation days = 9.7
| Dec precipitation days = 8.0
| year precipitation days = 79.4
| unit precipitation days = 1 mm
| Jan sun = 120.9
| Feb sun = 132.8
| Mar sun = 167.4
| Apr sun = 201.0
| May sun = 263.5
| Jun sun = 285.0
| Jul sun = 331.7
| Aug sun = 297.6
| Sep sun = 237.0
| Oct sun = 195.3
| Nov sun = 129.0
| Dec sun = 111.6
| year sun = 2472.8
| source 1 = [[Servizio Meteorologico]], 1970–2000 data<ref name="ServizioMeteorologico1">[https://clima.meteoam.it/AtlanteClimatico/pdf/(239)Roma%20Ciampino.pdf Tabelle climatiche 1971–2000 della stazione meteorologica di Roma-Ciampino Ponente dall'Atlante Climatico 1971–2000] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110014759/http://clima.meteoam.it/AtlanteClimatico/pdf/%28239%29Roma%20Ciampino.pdf |date=10 January 2019 }}{{snd}}Servizio Meteorologico dell'Aeronautica Militare</ref> data of sunshine hours<ref>{{Cite web |title=Visualizzazione tabella CLINO della stazione / CLINO Averages Listed for the station Roma Ciampino |url=https://clima.meteoam.it/web_clima_sysman/Clino6190/CLINO239.txt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819073317/http://clima.meteoam.it/web_clima_sysman/Clino6190/CLINO239.txt |archive-date=19 August 2011 |access-date=13 June 2011}}</ref>
| date = April 2012
| source = https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/noaa-earth-had-its-third-warmest-year-record-2017 https://weatherspark.com/h/y/71896/2022/Historical-Weather-during-2022-in-Vatican-City
}}

In July 2007 the Vatican accepted a proposal by two firms based respectively in [[San Francisco]] and [[Budapest]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 May 2010 |title=Vatican footprint wrong-footed |url=https://www.thegwpf.com/vatican-footprint-wrong-footed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102201530/http://www.thegwpf.com/vatican-footprint-wrong-footed/ |archive-date=2 January 2015 |access-date=2 January 2015 |website=The Global Warming Policy Forum}}</ref> to become the first [[carbon neutrality|carbon neutral]] state by offsetting its [[List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions|carbon dioxide emissions]] with the creation of a [[Vatican Climate Forest]] in Hungary,<ref>{{Cite news |date=13 July 2007 |title=The Vatican to go carbon neutral |url=https://www.physorg.com/news103554442.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112190438/http://www.physorg.com/news103554442.html |archive-date=12 January 2009 |access-date=12 September 2009 |agency=United Press International}}</ref> as a purely symbolic gesture<ref name="CN070713">[https://www.cathnews.com/news/707/76.php Vatican signs up for a carbon offset forest], ''Catholic News Service'', published 13 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705173031/https://www.cathnews.com/news/707/76.php |date=5 July 2008 }}</ref> to encourage [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] to do more to safeguard the planet.<ref>[https://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2007/0723/carbon072307.shtml Climate forest makes Vatican the first carbon-neutral state], ''Western Catholic Reporter'', published 23 July 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304130215/https://www.wcr.ab.ca/news/2007/0723/carbon072307.shtml |date=4 March 2008 }}</ref> Nothing came of the project.<ref>[https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0420/Carbon-offsets-How-a-Vatican-forest-failed-to-reduce-global-warming "Carbon offsets: How a Vatican forest failed to reduce global warming"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801031710/https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0420/Carbon-offsets-How-a-Vatican-forest-failed-to-reduce-global-warming |date=1 August 2020 }}. ''The Christian Science Monitor''</ref><ref>[https://www.ethicalcorp.com/environment/dangers-lurk-offset-investments "Dangers lurk in offset investments"], ''Ethical Corporation'' published 19 September 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2012 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427133116/https://www.ethicalcorp.com/environment/dangers-lurk-offset-investments |date=27 April 2012 }}</ref>

In November 2008 the Vatican installed [[solar panel]]s on the roof of the [[Paul VI Audience Hall]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Going green: Vatican expands mission to saving planet, not just souls |date=25 May 2007 |work=Catholic News Service |url=https://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0702971.htm |access-date=12 June 2007 |url-status=live |archive-date=12 June 2007 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20070612183543/https://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0702971.htm}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Glatz |first=Carol |title=Vatican wins award for creating rooftop solar-power generator |date=26 November 2008 |work=Catholic News Service |url=https://salt.claretianpubs.org/sjnews/2008/12/sjn081210a.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010164738/http://salt.claretianpubs.org/sjnews/2008/12/sjn081210a.html |archive-date=10 October 2017}}</ref>

=== Gardens ===
{{Main|Gardens of Vatican City}}

Within the territory of the Vatican City are the [[Gardens of Vatican City|Vatican Gardens]] ({{langx|it|Giardini Vaticani|links=no}}),<ref name="VaticanMap">{{Cite web |title=Map of Vatican City |url=https://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/vaticancity-map.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104104919/http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/vaticancity-map.htm |archive-date=4 November 2021 |access-date=11 October 2009 |publisher=saintpetersbasilica.org}}</ref> which account for about half of the Vatican territory. The gardens, established during the [[Renaissance]] and [[Baroque]] era, are decorated with fountains and sculptures.

The gardens cover approximately {{convert|23|ha|0}}. The highest point is {{convert|60|m|0}} [[above mean sea level]]. Stone walls bound the area in the north, south, and west.

The gardens date back to medieval times when orchards and vineyards extended to the north of the Papal [[Apostolic Palace]].<ref name="Pellegrino">{{Cite web |title=Al Pellegrino Cattolico: ''The Vatican Gardens'' |url=https://www.pellegrinocattolico.com/ctv/gardens.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413133503/https://www.pellegrinocattolico.com/ctv/gardens.htm |archive-date=13 April 2008 |access-date=21 November 2008 |publisher=2008 Al Pellegrino Cattolico s.r.l. Via di Porta Angelica 81\83 (S.Pietro) I- 00193 Roma, Italy}}</ref> In 1279 [[Pope Nicholas III]] (1277–1280) moved his residence back to the Vatican from the [[Lateran Palace]] and enclosed this area with walls.<ref name="Vatican">{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=Official Vatican City State Website: ''A Visit to the Vatican Gardens'' |url=https://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/Monuments/The_Vatican_Gardens/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108134258/https://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/Monuments/The_Vatican_Gardens/ |archive-date=8 November 2008 |access-date=21 November 2008 |publisher=Uffici di Presidenza S.C.V.}}</ref> He planted an orchard (''pomerium''), a lawn (''pratellum''), and a garden (''viridarium'').<ref name="Vatican" />

{{Panorama
| image = Vatican panorama from St. Peters Basilica.jpg
| height = 240
| alt = A panorama of gardens and several buildings viewed from St. Peter's Basilica
| caption = {{center|A panorama of the gardens viewed from St. Peter's Basilica}}
}}